I was approached at the October board meeting and asked about Air Rifle on the calendar on Mondays and Wednesdays.

On Monday evenings, we have ten juniors and three adults participating in an Air Rifle Program. We created a marksmanship fundamentals course that will last six Mondays. The classes are: rifle safety and range procedures, shooting fundamentals, standing position, prone position, kneeling position culminated by a match.

Each student got materials free of charge from the Civilian Marksmanship Program; a “Juniors Guide to Air Rifle Safety” and a “Shooters Journal” in which to keep notes, and an air rifle brochure for the parents.

There is a volunteer coach for each junior. Each coach got “Teaching Rifle Positions to New Junior Shooters” (also free from CMP) so everyone would know how the position is taught. It is important to build a solid position.

On Wednesday we have competitions as before. Bench rest (sporter rifles), and CMP National Match Air Rifle matches are fired concurrently with juniors practicing.

The junior air rifle program’s goal is to teach juniors competitive shooting. We want to form a team and enter open competitions. The same principals are taught as the Monday group, but the difference is we coach them along. For example, we teach standing after shooting supported. Before shooting standing, the goal is to cover a group of five with a quarter. That demonstrates that they understand sight picture and can control the trigger. Also included is sports psychology, mental performance, and how to train.

We coaches want to offer the best program we can. Dennis Loertscher and Larry Abbott plan to attend a NRA Level 1 Coaches course offered at Central Illinois Precision Shooting in Bloomington, IL in December. I had completed that course last spring. Since we are just starting this program, we are looking for donations of used equipment. Shooting mats and kneeling rolls that are no longer used can be put to good use.